14. Certificates of origin..—After all the documents which make exportation from the United States pos sible have been procured, it is necessary to provide the documents required by the customs regulations of the country of destination.
One of those most commonly required is the "cer tificate of origin." This is a document certifying that the goods have been produced in the United States. It is needed in order that the goods may take ad vantage of the lowest rates to which they may be en titled by tariff treaty. The form is simple: the name of the consignor, the name of the consignee, and a description of the shipment form the body of the document to which oath is made.
The certificate must receive the vise of a consul of the country of destination. The French consulate charges a fee of $2.20 for this, the Italian $4.40 and the Spanish $0.40.
15. Consular is generally necessary to prepare also a "consular invoice" covering the details of a commercial invoice and sometimes additional data. It is usually intended to facilitate the work of the foreign customs officials.
These documents should be filled out with care. If special instructions have been received from the for eign buyer, they should be followed to the letter, no matter how illogical they may seem.
The forms for consular invoices are obtained, like other consular documents, from the consuls concerned. They must be filled out in the language indicated. In most cases the language of the country of destina tion is required, but not always. Brazil permits English as well as Portuguese ; Cuba, English and Spanish; Haiti, English and French; and Portugal, English and Portuguese. The consignee at times in dicates his preference. Translators are easily found. Some consulates translate documents, but their charges are usually high.
The number of invoices required differs. France requires one, Nicaragua, six ; Guatemala, five ; and Portugal, three.
The consular fees for invoices are sometimes deter mined by the value of the merchandise. Peru charges two per cent of the value, Mexico three per cent, Cuba one per cent, and Chile about three fourths of one per cent. Such "fees" are merely disguised import duties. Mexico requires four consular invoices made out in English or Spanish, for which three per cent of the value of the invoice is charged. As a rule, a
straight fee is charged. France charges $2.50, Brazil $2.20, Argentine 82.00, irrespective of the value of the shipment. Shipments by mail need not be provided with consular invoices. In a few cases, as with Santo Domingo, Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica, the consignee pays the fee at the port of entry.
16. Certification of bills of other countries require that one or more copies of the bill of lading be certified by the consul. Uruguay, Bo livia, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Peru, Honduras and San Salvador require that all bills of lading shall be certified. In other countries the number is definitely stated: in Paraguay one, in Haiti five and in Panama four. The certification is, of course, only necessary for "negotiable" bills of lading.
17. are required in Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. The forms of the declaration differ but their purpose is the same. The exporter declares that his goods are sold at a price not lower than the home market price and are not subject to unusual discounts. In case the value of the goods is less than the home market price or in case unusual discounts are allowed, a state ment to that effect must be made showing the value for home consumption and the usual discount allowed.
18. The railway bill of shipping by rail from inland points it is essential to mark the railway bills of lading "for export" or "lighterage free." Goods designated in this way, provided they are shipped in carload lots and are not unusually heavy, are entitled to free delivery alongside steam ers. This may mean a great saving in cartage and lighterage fees, amounting to almost as much as the ocean freight.
Such goods are also entitled to free storage, for about ten days usually, at the port of exit. Tho these privileges apply only to carload lots, the car may be broken up in three lighterages within the free light erage district. To secure these privileges and avoid delay all inland transportation charges should have been prepaid and the proper documents promptly for warded to the agents at the port of exit.